They are following the lead of the Americans. I flicked across to the History channel last week in the US and they were showing some reality show where people shot at things.

One HD was my favourite channel last year for the reasons you listed (even putting up with a lot of sports I don't care for), but I don't even bother flipping to it these days.

The only time I go to One is to watch the NBL or the NFL. Don't even worry about seeing whats on at any other times. It use to be the go to channel when crap was on every other channel, and now it is exactly like every other channel but worse

I think most bball fans are boycotting ONE HD by default these days.

Hate to flog a dead horse but ever since the ONE board have added the 'BIG HEAD' Packer to increase their 'exclusiveness' their programming is up S*&^ creek. Packer finally makes a 'good' business decision (from his perspective) in cutting out almost all live sport and instead fills the void with the crap, meaning the ordinary joe is either left go without live sport (especially NBL NBA) or has go to his FOXTEL option. I was hoping he could follow along the same lines of fail like in his past business ventures.

Screw Packer and his rip-off foxtel, get NBA league pass when season resumes. There is no reason to pay around $100 a month when with a little computer knowledge you can download and stream everything live for a far cheaper price per month.

I plan to get NBA League Pass when the season kicks off eventually.

That way I can watch the Knicks and daily highlights when I want.

I'll hook up the laptop to Tv via HDMI cable too so I can watch it all on a bigger screen and on the couch.

Only watch NBL on it now. That's it.

Look, these threads are coming in thick and fast and to be honest, i like reading them because i'm as pissed off as the next person about this.

Current Situation
» ONE wants to cut costs
» They don't want to cover the NBL anymore
» They're only providing the bare minimum of their contractual obligations
» NBL gets no live games on TV, but it's on FTA which smashes FOX for ratings
» ONE is willing to (allegedly) breach contractual obligations to make the time slot worse
» NBL unlikely to gain much/be able to consider legal action

Potential Problems
» Current sponsors get pissed off
» New sponsors may be hard to find
» Virtually no watchable time slot coverage, especially for families/children
» Causes significant problems in reaching out and selling the game
» Basketball fans unlikely to stay up to watch the game, recording it until the next day/delayed coverage may not be worth the wait (having to hide from the scores)

The Future
» Sooner rather than later Ten/One is likely to cut the contract
» NBL must find a new station, unlikely to be able to seek a new FTA deal (Can the NBL get enough people to watch 11PM coverage to lure another FTA deal? Unlikely.)
» NBL may be forced to talk to Fox eventually, leverage with ONE is dwindling, however it may exist for a negotiable new agreement in place of the next two years which require 3-5 games covered per week.


The NBL is in a situation where it needs to compromise to limit the damage and take turn a horrible situation into one we can work with. 1 live game on a sunday versus 3 games delayed, the NBL made the right choice. Instant reaction was definitely not the answer, the NBL's response so far I agree with.

HOWEVER, by the end of this season or next season, negotiations for a new deal must happen. This is when Ten/ONE's commitment becomes 3-5 games a week, they may be much more willing to talk.

My hypothetical but likely unrealistic proposal

Yes. We approach FOX. They're growing each year and with the new Fox Footy there will be a spike. If there are games on Fox, atleast there will be pubs broadcasting live NBL games and pay-tv subscribers will get access.



» Fox returns to broadcasting three games live (2 with their own commentary team) much like previous deals. A portion of the revenue from the revised contract with TEN/ONE is redirected to Fox to limit production costs.

Advantages for Fox: Able to attract more subscribers, provide more content and cheaper than previous deals in terms of production costs and paying the NBL.

» NBLTV is introduced through using iiNET online streaming. The club hosting gets local commentators to produce coverage. Charge $5 or $10 and put those towards breaking even for the coverage. Also slip in Fox Sports promotion.

» Channel Ten broadcasts a game live on Sunday providing the NBL with FTA coverage, from 2:30PM leading into the 5PM news, inclusive of a half an hour odd pre-game for a 'Super Sunday' Pre-game can look at Thurs/Fri/Sat games in brief.

» ONE provides a highlight show on a Tuesday/Wednesday at around 7 or 8 PM, similar to the EPL highlights show, showing each of the 5 games for approximately 6-7 minutes and finishing the show off with a "Top 10 Plays of the Week" old-ABC style.

Advantages: Network Ten get their revised contract they want, as shown with the Netball deal on Sunday, Ten is willing to turn Sunday Afternoons into their Ten Sport programming. Ten get a revised contract reducing the amount they have to pay, decreasing the amount of games they must produce and show down to one, and the highlights show on ONE would be very cheap/easy to produce.


What the NBL Get

Potentially a new 3-5year deal to lock 3-4 games on TV a week live. Guaranteed live game on FTA aswell and a highlights show for those who don't like watching a full game. The NBL is able to provide sponsors with something better, and creates a stepping stone so that if ratings improve, it provides the NBL with a selling point to further increase FTA coverage with a new deal.

What the Fans Get

Live FTA coverage each week, a highlights show so that they get to check out each game and the ability to go down to the pub/mates place or purchase Fox to get another 2-3 live games per week.


Unrealistic proposal yes, however at this point in time, under these current circumstances, it's probably a win for Ten, a win for Fox, a win for the NBL, a win for the sponsors and a win for the fans.

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Good effort there KET. I would fine tune some thinhgs personally, but if that somehow managed to pan out I would be very happy.

+ 1 to exactly what Isaac said.

NBA Leaguepass is the way to go.

I also hope the NBL choose to look at doing the same thing whereby fans can subscibe to live game streaming instead - much more convenient and would screw Packer

I don't watch 10, 1 or 11 at all these days.

Why dont the NBL look at having a chat with SBS regarding broadcasting live games.

WNBL games are showed live on SBS

Just a thought

Look, nobody is going to show a product that doesnt sell itself. We all love the NBL and its a great product. But the NBL is doing nothing to sell it to the wider market. A couple of poorly put together adds that show very little action are not going to penetrate.

Look at motorsports v8 supercars. Hugely popular. Why? Because they brought the concept of motorsport to people who didnt know anything about it. How? They drew on different aspects of the sports, and marketed each of those aspects directly to different market sectors.

Not brain surgery....

The NBL's ad is above average. They are working to emphasise rivalries and stars. The market is a bit limited, but it's not dead - the league is decent and entertaining.

It still struggles a bit and has the stench of death, while bland swimming gets a run and its 'stars' pick up endorsements - I can't comprehend that.

I'm sick of shoddy and recycled programming (to the extent that I switch on TV for all of two programs each week - Good Game and Grand Designs) but would like to see more channels dedicated to local programming and specific niches like sport.

I've mentioned the idea of an ABC Australian sports channel before. If commercial networks don't want to show NBL, WNBL, etc, put together an ABC sports channel that will show these things, even if its only when the sport itself covers or subsidises the production costs. Basketball, baseball, ice hockey, table tennis, lawn bowls, ten pin bowling, korf ball, whatever.

isaac,i like the ABC 'aussie sports' idea.
these tv stations are taking the piss out of all their viewers these days.

It's unfortunate that ABC are having budget cuts to the point where SANFL coverage is doubtful. Maybe in the future if ABC receive some more funding this may be a viable option.